The present invention relates to a mobile information terminal equipment, more particularly, to a mobile radio wave communication equipment, such as a mobile telephone, furnished with functions including electronic note, data communication, word processor, personal computer, and so on.
Moreover, the present invention relates to the communication control and user interface of a terminal for which the mobile radio wave communication equipment such as a mobile telephone and personal information management functions are combined.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to the structure of a cover for protecting an input display unit for the portable electronic apparatus such as a mobile information terminal equipment.
As a conventional mobile information terminal equipment furnished with functions of a mobile telephone plus an electronic note, there is a mobile information terminal equipment disclosed in the official gazette of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. HEI 5-211464 of Japan Patent Application. The outline of the Patent Publication No. HEI 5-211464 is given below.
FIG. 58 and FIG. 59 show the appearance of the conventional mobile information terminal equipment.
In FIG. 58, a body 1 of a mobile information terminal equipment, an antenna 2, a speaker 3, a liquid crystal display 4, a microphone 5, a telephone keyboard 6, and a cover 7 are illustrated.
FIG. 59 gives another front view with cover 7 opened, showing an electronic note keyboard 8 and a cover switch 9.
Telephone keyboard 6 for dialing keys is placed on the top of cover 7 installed on a mobile information terminal equipment body 1. Electronic note Keyboard 8 for character data input keys is installed from the back of cover 7 to the area cove-red by cover 7. A telephone mode and an electronic note mode are switched based on the output from a cover switch 9, which detects the opened/closed status of cover 7. When the cover is closed, the telephone mode is set, enabling the user to use the equipment as a regular mobile telephone. Meanwhile, the electronic note mode is set as the cover is opened, thus allowing the user to use it as an ordinary electronic note.
FIG. 60 shows the memory configuration for storing electronic note data of the mobile information terminal equipment. The memory is the Random Access Memory (RAM) and incorporated in mobile information terminal equipment body 1 (not shown in FIG. 58 and FIG. 59).
A telephone directory data memory 10, a schedule data memory 11, and a memorandum data memory 12 are illustrated in FIG. 60.
Telephone directory data memory 10 stores a name and a telephone number input from electronic note keyboard 8 as a pair. Schedule data memory 11 stores the activities input from electronic note keyboard 8 and the planned time and date for starting and ending each activity as a triad. Memorandum data memory 12 stores data input from electronic note keyboard 8 collectively.
FIG. 61, FIG. 62, and FIG. 63 show examples of screens displayed on liquid crystal display 4. Character strings are displayed on three lines on the screen. Line 1 shows a selected function, a mode name, and status information, and etc. Line 2 and line 3 show data input from telephone keyboard 6 or electronic note keyboard 8, and data read from the RAM (not shown).
In telephone mode, e.g., when the cover is closed, a xe2x80x9cTELxe2x80x9d 13 indicating telephone mode and a mark 14 for receiving sensitivity appear on line 1. A dialed data xe2x80x9c0367895421xe2x80x9d 15 input by pressing the numeric keys on telephone keyboard 6 is displayed on line 3 (FIG. 61).
When the cover is opened, e.g., in electronic note mode, and in telephone directory data search mode, xe2x80x9cTEL.NO. SEARCHxe2x80x9d 16 is displayed on line 1. On line 2, a retrieved data, a name xe2x80x9cYAMADA TAROxe2x80x9d 17 is displayed and on line 3, its telephone number xe2x80x9c03-6789-5421xe2x80x9d 18 is displayed, respectively (FIG. 62). Displayed data is retrieved from telephone directory data memory 10 shown in FIG. 60 of the RAM (not shown) incorporated in mobile information terminal equipment body 1. When the cover is opened, data can be easily retrieved, input, modified, deleted, etc. using electronic note keyboard 8 which has alphabetic keys, kana keys, and so forth.
When the cover is closed in the status shown in FIG. 62, telephone mode starts and xe2x80x9cTELxe2x80x9d 13 and mark 14 for receiving sensitively are added to the display at line 1 (FIG. 63). Pressing the S (SEND) key at this status enables the user to actually dial the displayed telephone number, because it is in telephone mode.
In this way, the mobile information terminal equipment disclosed in the official gazette Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. HEI 05-211464 is a mobile telephone set having an electronic note function for facilitating the input of character data by installing the operation keys for electronic note on both the rear sides of the opening/closing part attached to the main cabinet and on the body surface covered with the opening/closing part.
Another example of the conventional mobile information terminal equipment is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. HEI 06-284067 of Japan Patent Application. The mobile information terminal equipment is a mobile telephone with functions for a word processor or a personal computer.
FIG. 64 and FIG. 65 are the front views showing the appearance of the conventional mobile information terminal equipment.
FIG. 64 is the front view showing cover 7 in the closed status while FIG. 65 shows the front view of cover 7 in the opened status.
In FIG. 65, a hinge 19 is shown. For the conventional mobile information terminal equipment, cover 7 and mobile information terminal equipment body 1 are overlapped in parallel with the plane in the front view. Mobile information terminal equipment body 1 is coupled with cover 7 by hinge 19, which can hold the cover at a necessary position from the closed status to the opened status.
When the mobile information terminal equipment is used as a mobile telephone, as shown in FIG. 64, mobile information terminal equipment body 1 is overlapped with cover 7, and used with cover 7 in the closed status. The power source key P on telephone keyboard 6 is pressed. When there is a call-in, pressing down the send key S on telephone keyboard 6 enables a telephone talk. Furthermore, pressing down the one-touch key D on telephone keyboard 6 makes corresponding dial signals to be automatically transmitted, thus allowing a call-out. When a talk ends, the ending talk key E on telephone keyboard 6 is pressed.
To dial manually for a call-out, after the power source key P is pressed, cover 7 is opened. Then, a send key (not shown) of electronic note keyboard 8 is pressed, and the dial number is input from dial keys (not shown) of electronic note keyboard 8. After that, cover 7 is closed, and talking is enabled when the equipment is entered to a talk mode.
When using as a word processor or a personal computer, after the power source key P on telephone keyboard 6 is pressed with the cover in the closed status, cover 7 is opened, and with cover 7 in the opened status, designated keys (not shown) of electronic note keyboard 8 are operated to activate the application. Operating the input mode selection keys (not shown) of electronic note keyboard 8 to select either a kana or roman character input mode renders it possible to function as a word processor or to input necessary data into a personal computer. Moreover, input characters can be displayed on liquid crystal display 4 so that the input data can be confirmed.
FIG. 66 is a flowchart showing the execution of a processor (not shown) incorporated in mobile information terminal equipment body 1. The program shown in this flowchart is stored in the ROM incorporated in mobile information terminal equipment body 1.
The processor periodically detects whether or not an input has been made (S1). When an input is detected, it is analyzed (S2), and at the judgement step S3, so as to detect whether or not the input is related to the telephone function, to the application, or to the read/write of the data of the Integrated Circuit (IC) card.
If the input is related to the telephone function, information is exchanged (S4) with a control circuit (not shown) (for example, information such as the send key is operated, or end-talk key is operated, etc., is transmitted, and when call-in information is received, corresponding necessary information is displayed, and so on).
If the input is related to the application, the corresponding application is activated, and the control is handed over to the application (S5). As the application software, a word processor software, communication software, database, table calculation software are pre-loaded or loaded from the IC card and stored in the RAM (not shown) incorporated in mobile information terminal equipment body 1.
If the input is related to the data read/write of the IC card, data transmission is implemented between the RAM (not shown) incorporated in mobile information terminal equipment body 1 and the IC card (S5).
For the mobile information terminal equipment disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 06-284067, the cabinet of the mobile radio telephone set is separated into two pieces on its surface parallel to the front surface, and on the facing surfaces, a display unit and keys for inputting characters are provided. Thus it provides a structure which does not damage the portability even when a large-size display and many keys are installed. The two pieces separated on the surface parallel to the front surface of the cabinet of the telephone set are coupled with a hinge, which permits the pieces to hold still whichever position necessary from the closed to the opened status. When the two pieces are in the closed, overlapped status, dial operation or telephone talk is enabled by using the operation panel on which the one-touch dial key, end-talk switch, power source switch, etc., are provided. For using as a word processor or a personal computer, and not as a mobile telephone set, the two pieces are kept in the opened status, and the character data can be input by dint of a large-size display and many keys provided for the character input.
Meanwhile, for the structure of protective cover of the input display unit of the electronic apparatus, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 04-85895 of the Japan Patent Application, a shaft is set on part of the protective cover, and the shape of the guide groove is modified with the shaft as the base, and a rotating or sliding structure is provided.
The Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Hei 04-67381 of the Japan Utility Model Application discloses a lap-top electronic apparatus which has a groove in the protective cover to cover the display by sliding the cover.
However, above two structures expose the input display unit when they are used, and they simply protect the input display unit with the cover when they are not used. They serve only for the purpose of protecting the input display unit, but they do not serve to improving the protection of the key panel, steadiness, or operability.
For example, FIG. 67 shows a model of an electronic apparatus with a protective cover.
In the figure, an electronic apparatus body 101, a protective cover 102, an input display unit 103, a guide groove 104, a shaft 105, an operation button 106, and a pen 107 are illustrated.
The operation is explained next.
The electronic apparatus body 101 inputs data by pressing input display unit 103 with pen 107, and displays necessary information on input display unit 103. Besides, it has operation buttons such as switches. In order to protect input display unit 103, it has protective cover 102 having a shaft 105 which engages guide groove 104. The protective cover 102 is closed when the electronic apparatus is not in use. The protective cover is opened with the hinge structure when the electronic apparatus is to be used. Although not shown in the figure, changing the shape of guide groove 104 realizes different types of installing of the protective cover 102.
Because the conventional mobile information terminal equipment is configured as aforementioned, the disclosure in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 05-211464 renders it possible to increase the number of keys while retaining portability to a certain degree, facilitating the input operation and featuring additional functions to the electronic note. However, it is not able to enlarge the screen of the liquid crystal display, posing some problems in seeing the display screen. Furthermore, all functions and data of the electronic note are retrieved in sequential order, which inhibits the user from retrieving and obtaining the desired data instantaneously.
In addition, although the disclosure in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication NO. HEI 06-284067 made the screen of the liquid crystal display larger and the number of keys increased, it was not handy for using it with its cover opened (as a word processor or a personal computer) by holding with one hand, thus posing the problem of portability. On top of that, it was not easy to dial manually because the cover must be opened and closed.
Furthermore, both of the conventional equipments had the same problem. The conventional equipment does not work as a telephone while the cover is opened, and if the cover is opened during telephone talk, a desired screen would not appear. Besides, although functions for the computer and electronic note of inputting characters, etc., are realized with maintaining the portability of a mobile telephone to a certain extent, the keys for telephone operation and the keys for character input operation must be provided separately. This required the increase in the number of physical keys in case of adding or extending the information processing functions other than the telephone, thereby sophistication of the mobile information terminal equipment had to face the problem from both aspects of the cost and the size.
Furthermore, the structure of the protective cover of the conventional electronic apparatus made it difficult to handle its opening or closing with one hand. It also had such problems of unintentionally pressing the switches while inputting with a pen. Or, the opening and closing structure was complex, it was prone to be broken, and the number of parts was increased. It also had a problem that it is not easy to hold the equipment in hand because the width of the equipment is increased at opening and closing portion of the cover. It also had a problem that the cover was standing in the way when the cover was in the opened status.
As has explained thus far, the protective cover of the conventional electronic apparatus had problems of operability and durability.
The present invention is aimed at overcoming above-mentioned problems. It aims at obtaining a mobile information terminal equipment that enables the user to telephone regardless of the status of its opened or closed cover. It is again another object of the present invention to achieve the mobile information terminal equipment enabling the user to open or close the cover with ease during talking over the telephone. It is yet another object of the present invention to achieve a mobile information terminal equipment enabling the user to use functions for the electronic note, word processor, personal computer, etc., easily during talking over the telephone. It is again another object of the present invention to obtain a mobile information terminal equipment excellent in portability with an easy-to-see screen and improved operability. It is further object of the present invention to achieve a mobile information terminal equipment which allows the extension of the information processing functions without adding physical keys, and which allows the use of the information processing functions and data communication functions effectively during telephone talk.
Furthermore, the present invention aims at solving the above mentioned problems, and at improving the operability and durability of the protective cover for the input display unit of the mobile electronic apparatus.
A mobile information terminal equipment may comprise a slide cover for sliding and covering part of a surface of the mobile information terminal equipment.
The mobile information terminal equipment may further comprise a display unit for displaying information on a display area in part of the surface of the mobile information terminal equipment, a location detector for detecting a location of the slide cover, and a display switch for changing a size of the display area for displaying information and a displaying direction of information according to the location of the slide cover detected by the location detector.
A mobile information terminal equipment may comprise a display unit for displaying an application screen, wherein information may be displayed in telephone mode when the mobile information terminal equipment may be used as a telephone set and in information terminal mode when the mobile information terminal equipment may be used as an information terminal, and wherein one of the applications among a plurality of applications, each of which may have one or more application screens and display one of the application screens on the display unit may be executed in telephone mode, and a subsequent screen determinator for selecting possible subsequent screens among a plurality of application screens and for determining one application screen to be displayed among the possible subsequent screens in case of transitting from telephone mode to information terminal mode.
The mobile information terminal equipment may further comprise a transition table for setting a transition condition and a subsequent screen in accordance with a use status in telephone mode, and wherein the subsequent screen determinator may determine the subsequent screen based on the transition table.
The mobile information terminal equipment may further comprise a user information setter for arbitrarily setting the subsequent screen as user information in accordance with the use status in telephone mode, and wherein the subsequent screen set as the user information may be retrieved as the possible subsequent screen based on which the subsequent screen may be determined.
The mobile information terminal equipment may further comprise a historical information storage for storing the use status in telephone mode and history of the subsequent screen, and wherein the subsequent screen stored in the historical information may be retrieved as the possible screen based on which the subsequent screen may be determined.
The mobile information terminal equipment may further comprise a talk log information storage for storing talk log information of telephone mode including the subsequent screen displayed during telephone talk, wherein the mobile information terminal equipment may be possible to transit from telephone mode to information terminal mode during telephone talk, and wherein the subsequent screen may be set based on the talk log information as one of the possible subsequent screens.
The mobile information terminal equipment may be, wherein data obtained in information terminal mode may be used in telephone mode after information terminal mode may be transitted to telephone mode.
The mobile information terminal equipment may be, wherein the application may be possible to activate another application, and at least one of data displayed on a preceding application screen and data pertaining to the data displayed used in a preceding application screen and data may be displayed on a subsequent application screen, in information terminal mode.
The mobile information terminal equipment may further comprise a cover, and wherein the mobile information terminal equipment may be used in telephone mode irrespective of a location of the cover.
The mobile information terminal equipment may be, wherein the talk log information storage may further store the data concerning the subsequent screen during telephone talk as the talk log information, and the data may be displayed on the subsequent screen when the subsequent screen stored in the talk log information may be displayed.
The mobile information terminal equipment may further comprise a reservation application among the applications executed in information terminal mode, and wherein the reservation application may have an input screen on which information necessary for reservation may be input and then transmitted.
The mobile information terminal equipment may further comprise a voice output unit and a telephone keyboard used in telephone mode, an application which may have an application screen on which data may be input/output in information terminal mode, and wherein an input request from an opposite party may be made by one of outputting the input request into the voice output unit and displaying the input request on the application screen display unit, and a response to the opposite party may be input from the telephone keyboard in telephone mode, wherein an input request from the opposite party may be displayed on the application screen and a response to the opposite party may be input onto the application screen in information terminal mode, and wherein the application may be executed in telephone mode and in information terminal mode.
The mobile information terminal equipment may be, wherein a content of the display unit in telephone mode may be selected and discarded before being displayed on the display unit when transitting from information terminal mode to telephone mode.
The mobile information terminal equipment may comprise the telephone keyboard for inputting data in telephone mode, wherein the application may be executed one of by limiting its functions and by selecting and discarding the information to be displayed on the display unit in information terminal mode.
A mobile information terminal equipment having a body may comprise a display unit having a touch screen, a door having a display window on part of the display unit a switch button, a door opening/closing detector for detecting door opened/closed status, a first software module for providing a user interface when using as a telephone set in the door closed status, and a second software module for providing a user interface when using as an information processor in the door opened status.
The mobile information terminal equipment may be, wherein the first and the second software modules may share information for a telephone operation.
The mobile information terminal equipment may further comprise a third software module for providing a function to access the shared data.
The mobile information terminal equipment may be, wherein the mobile information terminal equipment may be used as a telephone set in the door closed status by the same operation as that for a mobile telephone with the switch button.
The mobile information terminal equipment may be, wherein characters and pictographs may be displayed on the display window of the door in the direction easier to see when the body may be vertically held in the door closed status.
The mobile information terminal equipment may be, wherein the touch screen may be located under the door and touched by pressing the switch button of the door in the door closed status, and a touch input may be mapped with the switch button of the door.
The mobile information terminal equipment may be, wherein the touch screen may be directly touched in the door opened status, and wherein a personal management information function, telephone, and data transmission may be enabled by graphic user interface (GUI) using a display screen.
The mobile information terminal equipment may be, wherein the characters and pictographs may be displayed on the display unit in the direction easier to see when the body may be horizontally held in the door opened status.
The mobile information terminal equipment may be, wherein the touch input may be mapped with the graphic user interface in the door opened status.
The mobile information terminal equipment may comprise a microphone and a speaker, and wherein the input sensitivity to the microphone and the output from the speaker may be adjustable so that the user may use the body in hand-free condition with ear and mouth released from the body when the door may be opened from the door closed status.
The mobile information terminal equipment may further comprise a microphone, a voice signal switch unit, a radio unit, and a modem, and a control unit for controlling the microphone, the voice signal switch unit, the radio unit and the modem, and wherein the control unit may instruct the voice signal switch unit to temporarily shut a path from the microphone to the radio unit during talk to validate a path from the modem to the radio unit, so as to switch the line used for the telephone to the modem to allow the user to halt the talk being conducted with hand-free condition and to transmit the data including the information written using the personal management function, and then may resume the talk upon completion of the data transmission.
A portable electronic apparatus may comprise an input display unit for inputting information and displaying the information, a key panel with switches, a body with the input display unit and the key panel allocated on a surface, and a slide cover mounted on the surface of the body for opening/closing the input display unit.
The portable electronic apparatus may be, wherein the slide cover may be used to select one of the input display unit and the key panel and to protect the covered other part.
The portable electronic apparatus may further comprise a rail on the body for sliding the slide cover.
The portable electronic apparatus may further comprise a support projection on the surface for supporting an inside of the slide cover.
The portable electronic apparatus may further comprise a switch on the rail for detecting opened/closed status of the slide cover.
The portable electronic apparatus may further comprise a cut-off part on the slide cover for displaying part of the input display unit even when it may be covered with the slide cover.
The portable electronic apparatus may further comprise a transparent part on the slide cover.
The portable electronic apparatus may further comprise the opening/closing support projection for the slide cover and the rail for keeping the slide cover in its opened/closed position.
The portable electronic apparatus may further comprise projection on the rail for preventing the slide cover from falling off the body.
The portable electronic apparatus may further comprise a convex on the slide cover for facilitating a slide operation on the surface.
The portable electronic apparatus may further comprise the slide operation support projection on the slide cover for making the slide cover smoothly slide against the rail.